YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR SHOES ON…MOSTLY

You will still need to remove your hat when checking through TSA, but you can leave your shoes on.

Starting now, passengers going through U.S. airport no longer have to remove their shoes. TBD: Other countries will implement their own decision on shoes on or off.

Ahh, the relief of it all.

Tying and untying those sneakers. Placing your bare foot on a floor where thousands, literally thousands, have walked prior to you on the same day. It’s gross. Even kids going to camp or college are advised to bring flip flops so as to not catch a foot fungus from those who walked the line before them.

The shoe thing goes back to 2005. Five years earlier, in 2001 when the “Shoe Bomber” Richard Reid attempted to use matches to ignite explosives hidden in his footwear while flying Paris to Miami.

Notably, members of the Trusted Traveler Program TSA PreCheck have been able to walk around the shoe removal. Membership requires a background check and a fee.

Now that you don’t have to consider the ease of removing your shoes and replacing them, there are some other footwear considerations:

Wear appropriate footwear. Nix to high heels, stilettos, and flip flops. If there’s an emergency evacuation, the heels can puncture the slide. Flip flops slip off when you’re running and don’t protect your toes.

Get smart. Invest in shoes that are both protective and flat.